News: June 2000

The 1999 Koussevitzky Awards Winners

Ten Composers Receive 1999 Serge Koussevitzky Awards

The Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress and the Koussevitzky Music Foundation Inc. have awarded commissions for new musical works to 10 composers. The commissions are granted jointly by the foundations and the performing organizations that will present the newly composed works.

Award winners and the groups co-sponsoring their commissions are: Jason Eckardt and the Libra Ensemble; Richard Felciano and Southwest Chamber Music; Brian Fennelly and the Pro Arte Quartet; Pablo Furman and the San Jose Chamber Orchestra; Lee Hyla and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Scott Johnson and the New Millenium Ensemble; Steven Mackey and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center; Roland Moser and Parnassus; Pablo Ortiz and the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players; and Roberto Sierra and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

The Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation and the Koussevitzky Music Foundation of New York, founded in 1950 and 1942, respectively, perpetuate Koussevitzky's lifelong efforts to encourage contemporary composers. Serge Koussevitzky was appointed conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1924 and served in that post for 25 years. He died in 1951. Works commissioned by him and the two foundations include established masterpieces such as Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes and Béla Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra.

Commissions are awarded annually on a competitive basis and are open to performing organizations or individuals and to composers without regard to national origin or affiliation.

Groups must submit an application for a composer whose work they would like to commission jointly with the foundations, and they must undertake to perform the work within two years of its completion. Manuscripts of commissioned works are deposited in the Music Division of the Library of Congress.